Shin & Kim’s Jeong Hae Sung named Korea’s most influential M&A lawyer

Jeong Hae Sung, a partner at Shin & Kim, topped the list of South Korea’s 10 most influential M&A lawyers after advising on a total of 6.91 trillion won ($4.8 billion) worth of M&A transactions in 2024, according to analysis by Market Insight, the capital market news outlet of The Korea Economic Daily.

That marked the highest transaction value handled by a senior lawyer in South Korea’s M&A legal service market for a single year, based on announced buyout deals.

M&A dealmakers had a busy year in 2024. The country's major law firms saw rapid growth in revenue as leading business groups ramped up restructuring efforts since the second half of this year, with some companies grappling with management or family disputes.

As his nickname “Bull” suggests, Jeong has a reputation as a diligent and meticulous lawyer good at grasping the essence of M&A deals from a broader perspective. Shin & Kim topped the power lawyers list for the second consecutive year, following its partner Chang Jae Young.

He represented Chinese online shopping titan Alibaba Group in negotiations with Shinsegae Inc. to set up an e-commerce joint venture between AliExpress and E-Mart Inc. and its online unit Gmarket Inc.

Jeong also advised Genesis Private Equity on the 1.2-trillion-won sale of KJ Environment to EQT, a Swedish investment firm.

The Shin & Kim partner also worked on Securities Co.’s disposal of three district heating and cooling services providers, including Pyeongtaek Energy Service Co. and Jeonbuk Energy Service Co., in an 800-billion-won package deal.

He is now among the legal representatives of MBM Partners in the ongoing battle to take control of Korea Zinc Co. from the latter’s top management.

Park Jae Hyun, a partner of Yulchon, ranked second on the list of the 10 most powerful M&A lawyers after dealing with a combined 6.19 trillion won worth of M&As in nine cases in 2024.

This year, Park became the youngest divisional head at Yulchon, leading its corporate legal affairs and finance division. Born in 1976, he is seen as one of Yulchon’s next-generation leaders.

Last year, he represented drug wholesaler Geo-Young Co.’s founder and Chairman Cho Sun-hae who wanted to remain on the management board even after MBK took a majority of the company from Blackstone. She is now leading the wholesaler, jointly with the private equity firm.

Park advised on the consortium of IMM Private Equity and IMM Investment on its 2.7-trillion-won purchase of Ecorbit Co., South Korea's No. 1 landfill company.

Among the M&A deals he provided legal services for in 2024 were the sale of TmaxSoft Co. and STIC Investments’ 468.2-billion-won purchase of Moleem Corp., a flooring materials manufacturer.

Kim Wan Suk of South Korea's largest law firm Kim & Chang represented 4.03 trillion won worth of M&As in four cases last year, including Hahn & Co.’s stake sale in Hanon Systems Co. in a 1.8-trillion-won transaction.

He advised EQT on the 1.2-trillion-won acquisition of KJ Environment and French private equity firm Archimed’s 990.3-billion-won tender offer for aesthetic laser maker Jeisys Medical Co. to take it private.

Koo Daehoon, a partner at Lee & Ko, ranked fourth on the power lawyer list. He worked on a total of 3.38 trillion won worth of M&A transactions involving 12 cases. They include LG Display Co.’s sale of its liquid display plant in Guangzhou, China for about $1.5 billion and SkyLake’s tender offer for BusinessOn Communication Co.

Kim & Chang’s Kim Tae Ho came next, advising on a combined 3.09 trillion won worth of deals in 13 cases, including Samsung SDI Co.’s sale of its polarizer film business.

RISING STARS

Among junior attorneys, or those with fewer than 10 years of experience, Kim & Chang’s Paek Seung Dong was named the most notable rising star. He worked on a total of 4.70 trillion won worth of deals, including Blackstone’s sale of Geo-Young, Samsung SDI’s sale of its polarizer film business and the sale of Tong Yang Life Insurance Co.

Shin & Kim’s Kim Byungjun ranked second in the rising star category, advising on 4.42 trillion won worth of M&A deals. Other rising stars were Lee & Ko’s Shin Kang Hui (4.38 trillion won), Kim & Lee’s Lim Dongjin (3.87 trillion won) and Yulchon’s Lee Choong Hwan (3.46 trillion won).

Write to Jun-Ho Cha at chacha@hankyung.com
 


Yeonhee Kim edited this article.